It seemed the other party did not wish to remain perpetually controlled, provoking this man's dissatisfaction and making him want to get rid of Old Daoist Green Ox.
Naturally. If the Indestructible Heavenly Art were leaked, the Ruthless Bloodline would have nothing left to rely on, and without an Imperial Weapon, wouldn't they exist in name only?
Cultivation techniques were the foundation of any sect, and their importance was unquestionably paramount.
Especially an Emperor Scripture like the Indestructible Heavenly Art, which could suppress the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art; it was truly one of a kind in this world.
Those who practiced the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art appeared to be sect masters on the surface, but in the mysterious figure's heart, they were mere running dogs, nothing more than pawns to be discarded once used up.
With such excessive demands put forward, it was naturally impossible for them to be agreed to.
It looked like this Old Daoist Green Ox was in grave danger and would likely be abandoned before long, ending up in utter disrepute.
Zhang Huan wondered inwardly what confidence Old Daoist Green Ox possessed to dare propose such conditions to this mysterious figure.
Let's see, I have been stuck at the Saint King Realm for a millennium now. The demonic fetus has never formed, and I am ultimately blocked from advancing further.
The middle-aged man sighed. Although he practiced an Emperor Scripture and his resources were ample, limited by his natural talent and aptitude, he had never truly been able to bring the Indestructible Heavenly Art to great completion.
It was like falling into a vicious cycle, unable to unlock the answer, which over time had festered into a mental barrier.
If he broke out of his cocoon and transformed into a butterfly, even a prospective emperor could be expected in the future. When that time came, he could borrow a shell to re-enter the world, find a Holy Land to hide in, and this lineage could truly grow powerful, no longer needing to hide and live like stray dogs hunted by everyone as they did now.
The prosperous age is approaching, and the younger generation of Big Dipper is growing increasingly formidable. If I still cannot make even an inch of progress, I will have to lie dormant for a very long time indeed.
Over the years, quite a few people had targeted them, seeking the Emperor Scripture and their heritage. That was why this lineage remained so cautious, tucking their tails between their legs as they acted.
He had a plan. This time would likely be his final gathering of resources in this lifetime; the resources he had scavenged over so many years were already enough for several millennia of consumption, so he no longer needed to run around for them.
From then on, they would lie dormant once more, and when the experts and powerhouses of the world grew fewer, they would slowly stretch out their tentacles again.
No, I had better emerge into the world one last time. Leaving Old Daoist Green Ox and his crew around is somewhat of a hidden hazard anyway; I might as well resolve them all and completely sever the tail.
Cultivation food for demonic arts at the Saint level is rather rare; perhaps it can break my shackles in a single stroke.
A bloodthirsty light danced in the middle-aged man's eyes, his cruel expression seeming to foretell the fate of those branch leaders.
Pity that Old Daoist Green Ox was still scheming over the Indestructible Heavenly Art, completely unaware that he had already become someone else's meat on the chopping block.
The Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art was born to be nourishment and a tonic for the Indestructible Heavenly Art.
Having swallowed over a dozen Saints from Central State, plus branch leaders from various other regions, he might well comprehend a brand-new path.
Zhang Huan nodded inwardly. In his perception, the other party's cultivation accumulation was extremely profound; years of precipitation had solidified his foundation, and if he broke through, breaking realms continuously in a single day would be normal.
If they were enemies, Zhang Huan would never let such a person grow. Before he gained power, he had to be eliminated early!
This man must die!
After checking the safety of the resources one last time and confirming he was carrying no marked items, the middle-aged man finally gathered the resources, transferring them into a white Saint Artifact small tripod.
The moment they entered the small tripod, it was like a stone sinking into the sea, cutting off everything completely.
This tripod can even isolate spiritual sense. I wonder what material it is forged from.
Even Zhang Huan's spiritual sense failed to pierce the tripod to see the sights within; with his cultivation at the Great Saint Realm, he had not managed to detect its abnormality until his divine perception brushed against it and sensed its special nature.
Seeing this small tripod hidden into the Bitter Sea, Zhang Huan decided to leave this man with half a corpse.
Mutering as he walked out of the cave, the middle-aged man looked with shock and suspicion at the youth standing at the cave entrance.
"Who are you!"
Panic-stricken, the middle-aged man hurriedly summoned a jade plate.
He had laid down boundary fields around the surrounding mountains when he arrived and still hadn't noticed any abnormalities, yet an uninvited guest had suddenly appeared outside his immortal cave.
"The man who is taking your life!"
Sneering, Zhang Huan pulled out the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Jar and smashed it forward. The imperial pressure was immensely heavy, striking the man's head with a single blow and tearing him apart along with his primordial spirit.
"With your paltry attainments in Source Art, a slight stirring of heaven and earth energy would have cracked it."
Looking at the man who had fallen straight to the ground, Zhang Huan explained, though he figured the other fellow probably couldn't hear him anymore.
He had refined this Heaven Swallowing Demonic Jar for many years, using it even more smoothly than his natal Saint Artifact. For long-range attacks he used the Supreme Dao Light Wave, and for close combat he smashed it straight into the forehead.
No matter the combat style, enemies suffered heavy trauma from taking even a single hit. Imperial artifacts had no weaknesses; fighting with even the most primitive methods was matchless.
Stepping forward to gather the remaining fragments of the primordial spirit, Zhang Huan examined his memories and found that a section had been deleted—precisely the most crucial location of their lair.
Using the Soul Guiding Technique to patch it back together, Zhang Huan tempered it for a long time until he broke the man's restrictions, attempting to deduce the location of the Ruthless Bloodline.
To cut weeds, one must eradicate the roots; Zhang Huan was also a cultivator practicing demonic arts, and he kept this firmly in mind. Besides, he also coveted the opportunities belonging to the Ruthless Bloodline.
Golden Law Threads spread densely, hooking into the Dao patterns and extending toward the Eastern Wasteland, finally coming to a halt in an ordinary village.
"It's actually here."
Zhang Huan said in shock after calculating the location.
He found it almost unbelievable; if this information had not come from the mysterious figure's memory fragments, he would never have taken it for real.
Black Wind Stockade.
A place both familiar and unfamiliar.
The Ruthless Bloodline, which had left a glorious reputation across the Eastern Wasteland, was actually hidden right at his starting point in this lifetime.
It was only a mere several hundred meters away—right on the doorstep—from the village where Zhang Huan had rescued the Innate Dao Embryo in the past.
In his memory, a mere few mortal bandits were enough to make the entire village kneel and beg for mercy, having blades held to their throats while threatened into paying annual fees.
At this moment, thousands of thoughts swirled in Zhang Huan's mind, and his internal contradictions were impossible to resolve.
Why could a village that even possessed a Saint King have mortals riding over their heads?
If they truly were the Ruthless Bloodline, would they really let an Innate Dao Embryo go without devouring it?
Unable to figure it out, the shock in Zhang Huan's heart lingered long without stopping.
Since that was the case, he might as well go and ask for the truth directly. His escape light flew toward Black Wind Stockade.
Yellow dust and flying sand remained, with desolation stretching as far as the eye could see. Even in the Eastern Wasteland, such an environment was harsh and hardly suitable for mortals to survive.
From afar, a group of bandits could be seen gathered at the village entrance, making a racket.
"Old stick-in-the-mud, I see you won't shed tears until you see blood. It's been several days already—where is your village's annual fee?"
A short-tempered yellow-haired youth grabbed the old village chief by the collar, resting a sharp knife against his neck.
"Bandit Lord, the village really has no surplus grain left anymore. I beg you to show mercy and give us a few more days..."
The old village chief wailed and begged for mercy, his hands ceaselessly clasped together as he kowtowed to a youth several times younger than himself. His face was filled with sorrow and deeply lined with the weathering of age.
Year after year people changed, yet this scenario remained identical.
Seeing this scene, Zhang Huan could not help but shake his head.
Clearly, he had already uprooted Black Wind Stockade, including the sect that had continuously sheltered their evil deeds.
Yet here things were just as before: bandits ran rampant, villagers suffered oppression, and life was difficult yet they still had to pay some "annual fee." It seemed not to have changed at all from a millennium ago.
Did the Ruthless Bloodline really live here? Zhang Huan's mood was indescribable.
Descending slowly from the air, Zhang Huan looked on with indifference: "Get lost, all of you! Within three breaths, if you don't get lost, you die!"
Seeing an Immortal Master descend, the leading bandit was so frightened he immediately turned his horse around.
"This Immortal Master, this humble person was also forced by circumstances and compelled to collect the annual fee. I hope the Immortal Master will show mercy, spare us this once, and from now on we will never again help that Yellow Wind Stockade oppress the common folk."
Fleeing swiftly, the previously arrogant yellow-haired youth didn't even dare draw a full breath, scurrying off in panic behind the other bandits.
The village chief took a great gulp of air, as if escaping death's door. A smile bloomed on his face, yet it looked uglier than crying. It was hard to imagine how much oppression he had endured over a lifetime.
The remaining villagers were much the same; it was difficult to imagine this could be the lair of a Saint King.
Just as he thought to help him up, a powerful divine sense emanated from the village, causing Zhang Huan to tremble.
"Young man, I know you came for the Ruthless Bloodline. Those people know nothing, so don't waste any effort on them. Come over and see me; I will tell you everything."
The voice was aged, sounding as though it was gasping for breath and carrying a heavy aura of decline. Zhang Huan could sense that the owner of the divine sense was definitely an elder of advanced years.
"So that's how it is. They can set up foot anywhere; they just happened to hide in this village."
Before you continue